You’ve just snapped another round of photos on your expensive iPhone, but are they any good? If you’re disappointed to discover they’re dark, out of focus, or poorly framed, don’t worry. Your iPhone is capable of producing amazing photos, but to capture really great ones, you’ll need to go beyond the default settings.
Part of the game is understanding your particular iPhone and discovering what the camera can do. Apple typically enhances the camera with each new generation, so the newer the phone, the more features the camera may offer. You’ll also find more advanced techniques in the Pro and Pro Max premium models. To get even more from your phone, make sure it’s updated to the latest version of iOS so that you have all the latest and greatest features. Here are 12 techniques you’ll want to use.
1. Vary the Exposure
Sometimes a photo doesn’t look its best because it’s overexposed or underexposed. That can happen if you shoot a tricky scene with the default exposure setting, which can’t handle all types of lighting situations. For such a scene, I’ll often increase or decrease the exposure and take different shots at different levels to cover my bases.
To change the exposure, swipe up from the bottom of the screen or tap the icon at the top with the six dots to display the camera controls, and select Exposure. Swipe to the right to increase the exposure and to the left to decrease it. If you have enough time, try taking a photo with the exposure set to 0 before taking a few more with the exposure set higher or lower. You can see the effect through the viewfinder so you should be able to tell how each setting will affect your photo.
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Here’s another way to adjust the exposure. Aim your phone at the scene and then tap anywhere on the screen. A yellow square appears with a vertical line and a sun icon on top. Move your finger up on the screen to increase the brightness and down to decrease it. Take the shot when it’s exposed the way you want.
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2. Adjust Exposure for a Particular Area
Beyond adjusting the exposure for the whole scene, you can set it for a particular area. For example, maybe you’re taking a photo of a person or object that’s backlit. The normal exposure might cause the subject to be underexposed and look too dark. Instead, tap the area that shows the person or object you want to capture in the right light. The scene should adjust the exposure for the area you selected to make sure it’s exposed properly.
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3. Keep the Subject Properly Exposed and in Focus
Want to make sure your shot is properly exposed and in focus, even if you move your phone? With the subject in the frame, press down on the area until you see a notification at the top that says: “AE/AF Lock.” That means the automatic exposure and automatic focus are both locked. You can now move the phone around and the subject will remain properly exposed and in focus as long as the lock remains on. To remove the lock, just tap anywhere on the screen.
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4. Take a Good Portrait With Portrait Mode
One of the secrets to shooting a good portrait photo is to draw all the attention to the person in the shot. The quickest way to achieve this is by using the camera’s Portrait mode. In the Camera app, swipe across the modes at the bottom until you reach Portrait. You can then further adjust the feature. Swipe up from the bottom or tap the control at the top to display the list of settings, then select Aperture. Move the slider to the left to decrease the depth of field and make the background more blurry or move it to the right to increase the depth of field and make the background sharper.
Leaving the default natural lighting should produce a decent photo, but you might want to get more creative. For that, move the icon from Natural Light to one of the others, such as Studio Light, Contour Light, Stage Light, Stage Light Mono, or High-Key Light Mono. When you’ve reached the effect you want, snap the picture.
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5. Shoot Faster with Burst Mode
Have you ever missed a shot of a fast-moving object or scene because you were too slow with the Shutter button? With Burst mode on your iPhone, you can take a series of quick shots so that one of them should capture the moment you want. To set this up, go to Settings > Camera and turn on Use Volume up for Burst and Prioritize Faster Shooting. To take a series of quick shots, drag the shutter button to the left or use the Volume Up button.
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6. Create Dynamic Photos with the Rule of Threes
A photo in which the subject is perfectly centered can look static and dull. To create a more dynamic image, think of the rule of threes. This technique asks you to divide the screen into three vertical sections. Instead of framing the subject right in the center, frame it in the left or right section. That creates a more exciting look, especially if there are other points of interest in the photo.
To help you divide the scene into three sections, your iPhone offers an onscreen grid. To enable this, go to Settings > Camera. In the Composition section, turn on Grid. Fire up the Camera app and you’ll see that the screen displays a grid of nine squares. Line up your camera so that the subject is in or near the right or left section, then snap the picture.
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7. Spice Up Your Shots by Shooting Them Off Level
Another technique that can create a more dynamic photo is to frame the scene so that it’s off level. To help you with this, go to Settings > Camera. In the Composition section, turn on Level. Now, as you point your phone at the scene, you’ll notice two horizontal lines in the center. When the two lines meet, then your camera is level. Since you want the scene to be off level, tilt your phone clockwise or counter-clockwise until you achieve the preferred angle.
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8. Capture a Wide Area With Pano Mode
Sometimes you may encounter a scene that’s too wide to be fully captured in a regular photo. If you’re trying to shoot an entire baseball stadium, a long beach, or a city block, try taking a panoramic shot. To try this, change the photo mode at the bottom to Pano. You’ll see a horizontal line with an arrow on it. By default, Pano mode is set to shoot from left to right, but you can change the direction by tapping on the right side of the line. You can also zoom in and out.
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When you’re ready to take the photo, tap the Shutter button and then slowly move your phone as shown on the screen until you capture the full scene. Be sure to hold the phone steady and level by keeping the arrow as straight as possible on the horizontal line. You’ll be told if you’re moving too fast or going too far up or down. When you’ve capture the entire scene, press the button again. The shot is then combined into one extended image.
(Credit: PCMag / Apple)
9. Take Quick Videos With QuickTake
With the QuickTake feature, you can shoot a video in Photo mode without having to switch to Video mode. Press and hold the shutter button to instantly start taking video. To free up your finger without stopping the video, slide the shutter button to the right and then release it.
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10. Take Photos in Low-Light Conditions with Night Mode
Introduced with the iPhone 11, Night mode lets you take high-quality photos in low-light conditions by extending the shutter for several seconds longer than normal to let in more light. You don’t need to do anything to activate Night mode; if the phone detects low light, a moon-shaped icon will appear on the screen indicating that Night mode is on.
The number next to the icon indicates how long you need to hold the phone in place before the camera takes the picture. Tap this icon, and the Night mode scale appears at the bottom, allowing you to manually set the exposure. Swipe the vertical line on the scale to adjust the exposure time—typically anywhere from one to three seconds—though you can get exposure times as high as 30 seconds if your iPhone is on a tripod.
(Credit: PCMag / Apple)
11. Go Small With Macro Control
The iPhone 13 Pro and higher offer a macro control in Photo mode through which you can capture photos of small and up-close objects. When macro control is available, a yellow flower icon appears on the left. Tap that icon on and off to see what the difference would be with macro control active or inactive. If you don’t see the macro icon on the screen when trying to snap a small object up close, go to Settings > Camera and turn on Macro Control.
(Credit: PCMag / Apple)
12. Change the Tone or Temperature of a Photo
You can change the tone or temperature of a photo, making it warmer, cooler, more vivid, or more monotone. Swipe from the bottom to display the camera settings and then tap the one for Styles. Swipe to browse through the different tones. When you find one you like, press the shutter button to snap the picture.
(Credit: PCMag / Apple)
About Our Expert
Lance Whitney
Contributor
Experience
I’ve been working for PCMag since early 2016 writing tutorials, how-to pieces, and other articles on consumer technology. Beyond PCMag, I’ve written news stories and tutorials for a variety of other websites and publications, including , ZDNet, TechRepublic, Macworld, PC World, Time, US News & World Report, and AARP Magazine. I spent seven years writing breaking news for as one of the site’s East Coast reporters. I’ve also written two books for Wiley & Sons—Windows 8: Five Minutes at a Time and Teach Yourself Visually LinkedIn.
I’ve used Windows, Office, and other Microsoft products for years so I’m well versed in that world. I also know the Mac quite well. I’m always working with iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, and Android on my various mobile devices. And these days, I write a lot about AI, so that’s become another key area for me.
My wife always jokes about all the tech products we have around the house, but I manage to put them to good use for my articles. I like Lenovo computers, so I own a couple of Lenovo desktops and several laptops. I have three MacBooks and a Mac mini. For my mobile life and work, I use an iPhone 16 Pro, iPad Pro, and iPad mini as well as an Apple Watch. But since I write about Android, I own several Android phones and tablets. Like any tech person, I have a cabinet full of cables, wires, and assorted mysterious gadgets. And when it’s time to take a break from writing, I have an old Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii, both of which I use for exercise and fitness games.
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